Santa Monica College campus

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SMC Demographics & Diversity

  • 2 Year
  • Santa Monica, CA
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Racial Demographics & Diversity

Racial Diversity

Racial Diversity

Very High

A college's ethnic diversity is indicated by the student body's equal inclusion of students from different backgrounds . Students at SMC are predominantly Hispanic with a sizeable White population. The school has very high racial diversity. 74% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table.

Santa Monica College has been designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and is eligible for federal grants supporting the school's efforts to serve Hispanic Americans.

Racial demographics of Santa Monica College students
Race Percent of Students
White
26%
Black
9%
Hispanic
38%
Asian
10%
American Indian / Alaskan
0%
Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0%
Two or more races
4%
International
11%
Race Unknown
1%

Gender Demographics & Diversity

Gender Diversity

Gender Diversity

Extremely Low

There are 8% more female students than male students enrolled at Santa Monica College with a gender ratio of 4% women to 4% men. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, SMC has a significantly lower gender diversity than other US colleges and is not inclusive of females.

Male to female gender ratio for Santa Monica College students
Gender Percent of Students
Men
4%
Women
4%
Enrollment by gender for Santa Monica College students
Gender Number of Students
Men
968
Women
1,045

Geographic Diversity

Geographic Diversity

Geographic Diversity

Very Low

SMC serves a very low number of students outside of California, with 78 percent of the student body residing in-state.

Enrollment by geographic location for Santa Monica College students
Origin Percent of Students
In State
78%
Out of State
0%
Foreign
12%
Unknown Location
10%

Economic Diversity

Median Household Income

Median Household Income

$54,172 per year

39% of students can be considered low-income as indicated by their receipt of Federal Pell Grant Aid.

Undergrad Student Population

Enrollment

Enrollment

23,453
Undergrad enrollment by age and part time status
Segment Percent of Students
Students Over 25 Years Old 28.1%
Part time Undergrads 60.1%

Other Colleges to Consider

Students applying to Santa Monica College often consider these colleges

Data source: NCES / IPEDS https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=122977.

Last updated: August 2026